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BRAVEST OF
THE BRAVE, 13
. “But if your commanding general should know of it be-
forehand, he would prevent it, would he not?” .
“Most undoubtedly, But have no’fears for me, Bianca;
I shoot and fence tolerably well, and besides, being the
challenged party, I can choose any weapons I like.”
“But what one will you choose?” . -
“Well, I-have not made up my mind yet. “But rest in
peace. You shall hear from me again, never fear.”
“I—I might hear of your death, senor capitan; for this
Canales.is a very mad, very dangerous man.” — -—
“But none the more to be feared on that account. Adieu,
If I am quartered near you for any length of time, may I
hope to see you often?” he asked, taking her hand in his.as
he lingered by. the front door.
“T’ should be only too happy to see you—see you ‘every
day, senor,” said she blushing slightly.
“Farewell, ” and raising her beautiful hand to his lips,
he turned away and vaulted into his saddle, kissing his
hand back to her as he did so, then quickly. giving orders,
the squadron wheeled to the right and galloped away to-
' . ward the great square.
' . tie beauty?” said. Baxter, as they rode away.-
“Gosh all hemlock} but aren’t she just a reg’lar rumbus-
“Darn ’em
all, they every mother son on ’em get a darned sight bet-
ter lookin’ gal than I did. Jest my confounded luck, ter
get next to an old cross-eyed gal that stuck ter me like a
flea ter a vagrant dog. But it’s all right; Vl make a sen-
sation ’mong ’em afore I skip out.”
‘At the head of his brave squadron of Rangers, Walker
rode through the city, but encountered only one other gang
: of rancheros, whom he dispersed even quicker than he did] °
the first. In fact, the general panic, and the belief that
General Taylor’s army was about taking possession of.the
city, drove Arista and his broken army out of it into the
country, and nearly all of the rancheros and cut-throats
had followed, leaving the city nearly deserted, save by
women and non-combatants,
On returning to camp, Walker found everything quiet,
and an hour or two was spent in talking over the events of
the day and evening, before the Rangers turned in for the
night. It had, indeed, been a glorious day—one in which
a little army of gallant spirits had made one of the most
brilliant pages in the, great book of history.
“Good-night, Hank; I may want you for a little private
business to-morrow,” said Walker, as he was about to retire
for the night.
“All right, cap; I’m yer grasshopper,”
said the brave,
rough-and-ready Ranger.
CHAPTER IX.
TIIE DUEL.
The next day was one of bustle and activity, notwith-
standing the last sad-rites were being performed for so
many ¢ gallant fellows who had fallen in ‘battle.
Captain Walker held Matamoras, and at about noon he
was visited. by. General Taylor and staff, to whom he re-
ported his actions, and:was warmly applauded.
While he was speaking a Mexican came through the
lines and handed a letter to the ‘general, and then with-
drew. :
The old hero read it and glanced anxiously at Walker.
“This will never do, Captain Walker,” he said, sternly.
“What, general ?” a
“This duel with Canales. You failed to report that part
of your doings last night. ‘This letter informs me of it.”
“General, I was wrong in not doing so. But he insulted
me in the presence of ladies at the house of Senor Gabella,
for which I promptly. knocked him down. On regaining
his feet he intimated,that he would meet me somewhere on
the outskirts of the city to-day.”
. “But have you received the challenge yet?”
“No, general, I have heard nothing from him.
could have sent you this letter?”
He never suspected Bianca Gabella.
“He might have sent it himself, to prevent the meeting,
said the old man, smiling. “But he is a desperate scoun-
drel and a noted duelist.” ‘
» “So I am told.”
“But you must not meet him.”
“General, if
“Not a word. You are worth a dozen of him, and should
he succeed in killing you, it would deprive me of a valuable
soldier that I cannot afford to lose. Besides, it is unfair.”
. “Gineral, if yerll ‘low me, I'll ’comerdate that ’ar
greaser instead ‘of the cap,” said Hank Dalton, who was
standing by.
“No—no! I will not hear of it.”
“Then I have another proposition, said he.
“What is it?”
“Cap’n Walker’s the challenged party, an’ has a right
ter chuse his weepins. Now, seein’ as how he thinks ter
get the best of him on ’count of his bein’ a reg’lar duelist,
suppose we have a little fun out of the ’fair. If he sends a
But who
challenge, let him answer yes, an’ say as how he’ll meet him.
with brass five-pounders at a hundred yards.”
The old general laughed heartily, and walked away with-
out making any reply, leaving them to understand that he
‘should not oppose a little fun of that kind, and so the two
officers shook hands over it.
In the course of half an hour the challenge arrived,
couched in the most hyperbolic language, and assuring
Walker that he should only be too ready to meet him any-
where, w ith any.sort of weapons he might name, but sug-
gested a level field on the shores of the Rio Grande about
two miles above the city as a convenient place to fight.
Walker, who had entered into the sport of the affair, at
once replied, accepting his challenge, and naming five-
pound brass pieces, at one hundred yards, as the weapons
to be used. :
It is needless to say that Canales was highly enraged at
this, but he had written the young American such a pre-
sumptuous challenge, that he felt that he could not possibly
back out now, and so, with curses loud and deep upon the
mean Yankee’s trick, he began to make preparations.
As the hour approached, Walker took with him Hank
Dalton and Baxter as scconds,.and five members of his
company to drag the ficld-piece to the scene of action, and